"Hodos’s in-depth qualitative study, drawing on both archival and secondary sources, presents the social history of Philadelphia and Manchester and how they achieved their present status as major metropolises. It is hard to imagine a more carefully researched study of the two cities. Hodos writes with verve and enthusiasm, and the sheer volume of the original scholarship, together with the interesting sociological framework of the comparative study, makes this an innovative, top-notch book. Second Cities is essential reading, and it should become part of a venerated tradition of urban historical case studies."
-David Smith, Professor of Sociology and Planning, Policy and Design at the University of California, Irvine